The overall objective of INEDIS is to strengthen capacity building at higher education institutions (HEI) to facilitate inclusive education for students with disabilities at university level and strengthen the ability of HEI to contribute to inclusive community and school development with a special focus on the intersection of gender and disability. INEDIS addresses necessities for capacity building in three areas:

Strengthening the capacities of HEIs and employing institutions by empowering students with disabilities at universities and by further developing research and teaching capacities on disability and inclusion at high levels of scientific excellence. Addis Ababa University leads the development of an evidence-based training for HEI staff that will enable universities to better support students with disabilities in higher education.

Fostering knowledge development and competencies to facilitate research and teaching with respect to gender and disability and developing direct measures to empower female students with disabilities in education and the labor market. The University of Gondar conducts a participatory research study on challenges for women with disabilities in higher education and secondary schools. Findings will be included in the training developed by Addis Ababa University and inform the development of support structures, e.g. at disability centers.

Enhancing knowledge, skills and competencies of academic staff to research and teach issues of community and school development and strengthen university community services to support inclusive development. A participatory research study implemented by Dilla University focusses on views, practices and prospects at community and school level and provides the basis for a university training on inclusive community development for community workers. Additionally, a resource center for persons with disabilities, families, community workers, teachers and other stakeholders will be set up at Dilla University.

A special emphasis is given to capacity building of research, teaching and management skills as well as exchange of research findings and knowledge within the consortium. The University of Vienna will contribute to and support the design and implementation of participatory research studies, the development of training curricula and materials, the publication of research results, and the management of the project. Additionally, co-teaching and participation in international conference visits will further develop dissemination skills at high level of scientific excellence.

In March 2018 a two-day training was given to teachers by the Faculty of Education, Department of Special Needs and Inclusive Education to enhance the psychological, social, academic, and self-management skills of students with disabilities and to increase their awareness on gender-based violence.

The seminar was organised in order to get input for the research to be undertaken with the title: “Gender-based violence among female students with disabilities in some selected higher education institutions in Ethiopia”

The participants were twenty female students with disabilities attending their education in primary and secondary schools, four parents, six teachers in and around Gondar City Administration as well as social affairs and police focal persons and representatives of the University of Gondar Gender Directorate and Disability Association.